1. Field of the invention
The present invention relates to a processing apparatus for using a portable medium wherein data may be written into or read from the portable medium, such as a magnetic card or an IC card.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, bank cards have been widely used as media for transactions in banks. Magnetic cards often are used for these cards. More recently, IC cards, in which micro processors or memories are included, have drwan public attention. In such IC cards, many kinds of data about personal affairs can be stored. The IC cards have a larger memory capacity than that of the magnetic cards and better processing functions. Accordingly, these IC cards potentially can be used as multi-function cards for an extremely wide range of fields, such as bank cards, credit cards, tickets for transportation systems, or employees' identification cards. Therefore, IC cards having multifunctions may be more widely used than magnetic cards, having a single function. However, a read/write apparatus for transmitting or receiving signals through electric oontacts provided on the surface of the IC card is required for use of such an IC card.
A magnetic card read/write apparatus for using magnetic cards now popular in the market is capable of accepting the IC cards. In that case, however, it is necessary to add not only a connecter to connect with electric contacts of the IC cards, but also an electric processing circuit to transmit or receive data through the connecter. To avoid such problems, a magnetic field generating means has been proposed to replace the magnetic stripe of the magnetic cards now being used.
In this case, in order to transmit or receive signals accurately to and from the IC card, it is necessary that the positioned accurately so that the magnetic field generating means in the IC card may magnetically interact with the magnetic head in the magnetic card read/write apparatus. At present, the magnetic card read/write apparatus are equipped to scan the magnetic stripe formed on the magnetic card.